Dolphins officially introduce Patriots' Brian Flores as next head coach

Feb. 4 (UPI) -- The Miami Dolphins officially hired former New England Patriots assistant coach Brian Flores as the franchise's next head coach.

The long-expected move became official Monday as the team introduced Flores with a press conference, less than 24 hours after the Patriots defeated the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl LIII.

"Two things that stand out immediately when you meet Brian are his football intelligence and leadership skills," Dolphins general manager Chris Grier said in a statement. "Brian is widely respected throughout the NFL. He paid his dues in New England working in personnel, on offense, defense and special teams, which helped him build a great understanding of what it takes to win.

"If you talk with anyone who has played for him or worked with him, you will hear about his ability to lead and get the most out of people. Brian sets a high standard for his players and coaches and we are completely aligned with our vision on how to build a successful organization."

Flores becomes the Dolphins' 13th head coach in franchise history after spending 15 years with the Patriots organization. He won four Super Bowls (XXXIX, XLIX, LI, LIII) with New England as an assistant coach.

In 2018, Flores impressed in his first season as the Patriots' de facto defensive coordinator, culminating with a lockdown performance against the Rams on Sunday. Flores' defense contained Los Angeles quarterback Jared Goff and the Rams' high-octane offense to three points.

"I wasn't in a rush to become a head coach. I really wasn't," Flores said during his press conference. "I had a good job in New England. I wasn't in a rush. I talked this over with (Flores' wife) Jenny and my family and we said, 'We're not going to be in a rush. It's got to be the right fit, it's got to be the right place.' We had to have the right feel.

"When I met with Chris, (owner) Steve (Ross), (president and CEO) Tom (Garfinkel), (vice chairman) Matt (Higgins), (VP of football administration) Brandon (Shore), we came out of that and Jenny will tell you, I was excited when I came out of that meeting. That's where I wanted to be. I'm thankful that I'm a part of this organization now.

"We're going to do everything possible to win games and build culture and build a winner here."

Flores replaces Adam Gase, who was fired after three seasons. Gase led the Dolphins to an AFC Wild Card appearance in 2016, but produced consecutive losing seasons in his final two campaigns.